Collapsible container

ABSTRACT

Collapsible container for transport and storage, comprising a bottom part (2) and side walls (1) movably connected to the bottom part (2) via hinges (3) which are formed by lower hinge-parts (3&#39;) and upper hinge-parts (3&#34;). The hinge-parts (3&#39;, 3&#34;) are integrated with their respective part (1, 2). Two side walls (1), placed on opposite sides are provided with an inwards angled edge (4&#39;) at each of their two ends. The edges (4&#39;) connect, when in upright position, with the adjoining side walls (1). The inwards angled edges (4&#39;) are provided with a number of coupling devices (5) which are intended to interact with corresponding couplings (6) placed at the ends (4&#34;) of the adjoining side walls (1). The side walls (1) can hereby be locked together in an upright position. At least two opposite side walls (1), preferably all four, are provided with hollow channel-like reinforcing profiles (7) stretching along three sides of each of the side walls (1), wherein one of the sides is always an upper side (8).

The present invention relates to a collapsible container for transportand storage.

Containers made from different materials such as wood, metal, plasticetc. are frequently used. One problem with such containers are that theyoften demand the same transport volume when returned to the source aswhen delivered with goods.

An alternative to the return transport is a so-called one way packagewhich is disposed of after delivery.

Another common way to solve the problem is to provide the package with aso-called nesting function. This means that empty containers are partlyplaced in one another, by providing the containers with sloping sides.

Yet another way to solve the problem is to dismantle or fold the sidesof the container. The mostly known side dismantling is the pallet andpallet collar. An example of commonly used containers with foldablesides is the collapsible pallet container. The sides are here madefoldable by attaching their respective lower end to the bottom part viaa hinge.

A disadvantage with this type of container is that the load carryingability is radically impaired when compared to solid, non-collapsiblecontainers. This is mainly due to the fact that the corner parts, onnon-collapsible containers taking up around 80% of the weight fromabove, are parted on collapsible containers. Since these load carryingcorners are parted on collapsible containers, this will have to becompensated for by adding reinforcing ribs on the sides. This will,besides added weight, also cause difficulties when cleaning thecontainer due to the number of small pockets that are formed between theribs.

According to the present invention is it possible to manufacture acollapsible container where the above mentioned disadvantages areavoided. The invention relates to a collapsible container for transportand storage, comprising a bottom part and inwards foldable side walls.The parts are manufactured by injection moulding of a thermoplasticmaterial. The invention is characterised in that the side walls aremovably connected to the bottom part by hinges. The hinges are formed bya number of lower hinge-parts which are manufactured in one piecetogether with the bottom part and a number of upper hinge-parts whichare manufactured in one piece together with the foldable side walls. Twoside walls, placed on opposite sides, preferably the two long-side wallsare provided with an inwards angled edge at each of their two ends. Theedges connect with the adjoining side walls, preferably the short-sidewalls, when in an upright position. The inwards angled edges areprovided with a number of coupling devices which are intended tointeract with corresponding couplings placed at the ends of theadjoining side walls so that the side walls can be locked together in anupright position. At least two opposite side walls, suitably thelong-side walls, preferably all four side walls, are provided with ahollow channel-like reinforcing profiles which stretches along at leastthree sides of each of the side walls, wherein one of the sides alwaysis a the upper side. The reinforcing hollow profiles will herebyconstitute an effective replacement for the reinforcing rib profilesthat normally are used, whereby a lighter and more hygienic design isachieved. The hollow profiles can suitably be achieved by substantiallyfilling the mould with molten thermoplastic material from an injectionnozzle. The molten thermoplastic material is then allowed to solidifysomewhat on the surface closest to the inner walls of the mould cavity.A pressurised gas is thereafter injected through an intake suitablyplaced at one end of the profile. The gas is allowed to flow into thestill molten plastic in the core of the profile wherein a cavity isformed in the profile. The still molten plastic is hereby ejected fromof the mould cavity. A container of this type can suitably be made froma polymer material from the group, polyethylene, polypropylene,polyamide, polystyrene, acryle-butadiene-styrene,poly-alkylene-terephthalate or the like.

Suitably at least two opposite side walls, preferably all four, areprovided with handle openings close to their respective upper sides. Thehandle openings are placed so that the reinforcing profiles form theupper edge of the handle.

The short-side walls are preferably provided with guiding andload-transferring guiding organs which are intended to interact withcorresponding receiving means placed on the inside of the two inwardsangled edges of the long-side walls. The shearing stress between twoadjoining walls will hereby be transferred more effectively so thatstress on the coupling means is decreased.

The bottom part is preferably, as seen from above, provided withrecessed support profiles along the edges. The support profiles areusually provided with draining holes. The lower surface of said supportprofiles forms the support surface of the container. The supportprofiles also limit side-ways shifting when containers are stacked uponone-another. The long-side walls are preferably provided with inwardsrecessed sections at their lower edges, as seen when in an uprightposition. The recesses are intended to receive the support profiles whencontainers are stacked with the side walls in a down-folded position.

The coupling devices are preferably manufactured in one piece togetherwith the short-side walls. The coupling devices preferably include alocking lip placed on the outer end of one side of a rib, which rib onboth sides are enclosed by holes. A spring rib runs from the farther endof one of the holes to the other side of outer side of the rib.

The invention is explained further together with enclosed drawings, allshowing the same embodiment of the invention wherein,

FIG. 1 shows, in perspective seen from above, a collapsible containerwith the side walls 1 in an upright position.

FIG. 2 shows, in perspective, a part of a hinge between a side wall 1and a bottom part 2.

FIG. 3 shows, in perspective, a part of a long-side wall with receivingmeans.

FIG. 4 shows, in perspective, a part of a short-side wall with guidingmeans.

FIG. 5 shows, in perspective, a part of the bottom part 2 seen from theinside.

FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of a collapsible container according to theinvention. The collapsible container comprises one bottom part 2 andcollapsible side walls 1. The parts 1, 2 are manufactured by injectionmoulding of a thermoplastic material. The side walls 1 are movablyconnected to the bottom part 2 via hinges 3. The hinges 3 are formed bya number of lower hinge-parts 3' (FIG. 2) which are manufactured in onepiece together with the bottom part 2, and a number of upper hinge-parts3" (FIG. 2) which are manufactured in one piece together with theirrespective, foldable side walls 1. Both of the two long-side walls 1',1" are provided with an inwards angled edge 4' at each of their twoends. The edges 4' connect with the adjoining short-side walls 1'", 1"".The inwards angled edges 4' are provided with a number of couplingdevices 5 (FIG. 4) which are intended to interact with correspondingcouplings 6 (FIG. 3) placed at the ends 4" of the adjoining short-sides1'", 1"". All four of the side walls 1 are provided with a channel-like,hollow reinforcing profile 7 which runs along the two vertical sides andthe upper horizontal side 8 of the side walls 1.

FIG. 2 shows in perspective a hinge between a side wall 1 with upperhinge-parts 3" and a bottom part 2 with lower hinge-parts 3'.

FIG. 3 shows in perspective a part of a long-side wall 1', 1", whileFIG. 4 shows in perspective, a part of a short-side wall 1'", 1"". Theshort-side walls 1'", 1"" (FIG. 4) are at both their ends 4" providedwith guiding and load-transferring means 10" which are intended tointeract with corresponding receiving means 10' (FIG. 3) placed on theinside of the inwards angled edges 4' of the two long-side walls 1', 1".The coupling devices 5, which are manufactured in one piece togetherwith the short-side walls 1'", 1"" include a locking lip 14 placed onthe outer end of a first side of a rib 15. The rib is on both sidesenclosed by holes 16', 16". A spring rib 17 runs from the farther edgeof one hole 16" to the second side of the outer end of the rib 15.

FIG. 5 shows in perspective a part of a bottom part 2 seen from theinside. The bottom part 2 is along its edges provided with recessedsupport profiles 11, provided with draining holes 12. The lower surfaceof the support profiles 11 forms the support surface of the container.The support profiles also limit side-ways shifting when containers arestacked upon one another. The long-side walls 1', 1" (FIG. 1) areprovided with inwards recessed sections 13 at their lower edges, as seenwhen in an upright position. The recesses 13 are intended to receive thesupport profiles 11 (FIG. 5) when containers are stacked upon oneanother with the side walls 1 in a down-folded position.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment shown, since it can bevaried in different ways within the scoop of the invention.

I claim:
 1. Collapsible container for transport and storage, comprisinga bottom part (2) and inwards foldable side walls (1), which parts (1,2) are manufactured through injection moulding of a thermoplasticmaterial, characterised in that the side walls (1) are movably connectedto the bottom part (2) via hinges (3), formed by a number of lowerhinge-parts (3') which are manufactured in one piece together with thebottom part (2) and a number of upper hinge-parts (3") which aremanufactured in one piece together with the foldable side walls (1),that two side walls (1), placed on opposite sides, preferably the twolong-side walls (1', 1"), are provided with an inwards angled edge (4')at each of their two ends, which edges (4') in an upright positionconnect with the adjoining side walls (1), preferably the short-sidewalls (1'", 1""), that the inwards angled edges (4') are provided with anumber of coupling devices (5) which are intended to interact withcorresponding couplings (6) placed at the ends (4") of the adjoiningside walls (1) so that the side walls (1) can be locked together in anupright position, and that at least two opposite side walls (1),suitably the long-side walls (1', 1"), preferably all four side walls(1', 1", 1'", 1"") are provided with a hollow channel-like reinforcingprofile (7) which runs along at least three sides of each of the sidewalls (1), wherein one of the sides is always an upper side (8). 2.Collapsible container according to claim 1 wherein at least two oppositeside walls (1), preferably all four, are provided with handle openings(9) close to the respective upper sides (8) and that handle openings (9)are placed so that the reinforcing profile (7) forms the upper edge ofthe handle.
 3. Collapsible container according to claim 1 wherein theshort-side walls (1'", 1"") are provided with guiding andload-transferring guiding means (10") which are intended to interactwith corresponding receiving means (10') placed on the inside of the twoinwards angled edges (4') of the long-side walls (1', 1"). 4.Collapsible container according to claim 1 wherein the bottom part (2)is provided with recessed support profiles (11), as seen from above,along the edges, which support profiles (11) are provided with drainingholes (12), that the lower surface of said support profiles (11) formsthe support surface of the container and that it limits side-waysshifting when containers are stacked upon one-another.
 5. Collapsiblecontainer according any of the claim 1 wherein the long-side walls (1',1") are provided with recessed sections (13) at their lower edges whichare intended to receive the support profiles (11) when containers arestacked with the side walls (1) in a down-folded position. 6.Collapsible container according to claim 1 wherein the coupling devices(5), which are manufactured in one piece together with the short-sidewalls (1'", 1""), include a locking lip (14) placed on the outer end ofone side of a rib (15), which rib (15) on both sides are enclosed byholes (16', 16"), and that a spring rib (17) runs from the farther endof one of the holes (16") to the other side of the outer side of the rib(15).
 7. Collapsible container according to claim 2 wherein theshort-side walls (1'", 1"") are provided with guiding andload-transferring guiding means (10") which are intended to interactwith corresponding receiving means (10') placed on the inside of the twoinwards angled edges (4') of the long-side walls (1', 1"). 8.Collapsible container according to claim 2 wherein the bottom part (2)is provided with recessed support profiles (11), as seen from above,along the edges, which support profiles (11) are provided with drainingholes (12), that the lower surface of said support profiles (11) formsthe support surface of the container and that it limits side-waysshifting when containers are stacked upon one-another.
 9. Collapsiblecontainer according to claim 3 wherein the bottom part (2) is providedwith recessed support profiles (11), as seen from above, along theedges, which support profiles (11) are provided with draining holes(12), that the lower surface of said support profiles (11) forms thesupport surface of the container and that it limits side-ways shiftingwhen containers are stacked upon one-another.
 10. Collapsible containeraccording to claim 2 wherein the long-side walls (1', 1") are providedwith recessed sections (13) at their lower edges which are intended toreceive the support profiles (11) when containers are stacked with theside walls (1) in a down-folded position.
 11. Collapsible containeraccording to claim 3 wherein the long-side walls (1', 1") are providedwith recessed sections (13) at their lower edges which are intended toreceive the support profiles (11) when containers are stacked with theside walls (1) in a down-folded position.
 12. Collapsible containeraccording to claim 4 wherein the long-side walls (1', 1") are providedwith recessed sections (13) at their lower edges which are intended toreceive the support profiles (11) when containers are stacked with theside walls (1) in a down-folded position.
 13. Collapsible containeraccording to claim 2 wherein the coupling devices (5), which aremanufactured in one piece together with the short-side walls (1'", 1'"),include a locking lip (14) placed on the outer end of one side of a rib(15), which rib (15) on both sides are enclosed by holes (16', 16"), andthat a spring rib (17) runs from the farther end of one of the holes(16") to the other side of the outer side of the rib (15). 14.Collapsible container according to claim 3 wherein the coupling devices(5), which are manufactured in one piece together with the short-sidewalls (1'", 1""), include a locking lip (14) placed on the outer end ofone side of a rib (15), which rib (15) on both sides are enclosed byholes (16', 16"), and that a spring rib (17) runs from the farther endof one of the holes (16") to the other side of the outer side of the rib(15).
 15. Collapsible container according to claim 4 wherein thecoupling devices (5), which are manufactured in one piece together withthe short-side walls (1'", 1""), include a locking lip (14) placed onthe outer end of one side of a rib (15), which rib (15) on both sidesare enclosed by holes (16', 16"), and that a spring rib (17) runs fromthe farther end of one of the holes (16") to the other side of the outerside of the rib (15).
 16. Collapsible container according to claim 5wherein the coupling devices (5), which are manufactured in one piecetogether with the short-side walls (1'", 1""), include a locking lip(14) placed on the outer end of one side of a rib (15), which rib (15)on both sides are enclosed by holes (16', 16"), and that a spring rib(17) runs from the farther end of one of the holes (16") to the otherside of the outer side of the rib (15).